Sorcerer’s Handbook

So far, the updates have included the Art Ranking, Family Ranking, Ranking of Schemes, Happiness Ranking, Evil Arts Ranking, Assassination Ranking, last night’s update of The Tough Ranking, and now, the latest update of the Culprits Ranking.

Although Ashe appeared in the first seven ranking lists (sometimes even more than the main character), he never actually made it onto any list. His only ranking was as part of Annan’s work, making it seem like his sole positive contribution in the Gospel evaluation system was his association with Annan.

Last night, Annan and Ashe were preoccupied with serious matters, so they missed the update of The Tough Ranking, which turned out to be the right choice-there was no new intelligence.

The individuals ranked on The Tough Ranking had nothing to do with strength, ideals, or even personal will. The sole criterion was ‘luck,’ though whether it was good or bad luck was debatable. These individuals, without exception, survived numerous trials but always endured great suffering. Disabilities were a basic requirement, amnesia was common, and many had experienced multiple Art Ranking incidents. Perhaps people had forgotten, but one key reason the works on the Art Ranking made it onto the list was because the crime scenes were left with nothing but the art pieces.

In retrospect, although the Family Ranking members were all necromancers, they were at least half-alive; the deaths in the Ranking of Schemes, while numerous, couldn’t amount to the population of a city. And the later rankings were even less significant. No matter how formidable the Echoers on the Evil Arts Ranking were, how many could they kill in a lifetime? Ten thousand? A hundred thousand?

In comparison, the Art Ranking’s works had a background of one devastated city after another, with each city’s population counted in the millions. Only through such massive sacrifices could these art pieces gain their historical significance. The number of casualties from all the “evil rankings” combined couldn’t match the death toll of a single ranked piece on the “good ranking” Art Ranking. Rather than calling this the Gospel’s dark humor, it might be more accurate to say individual concepts of good and evil are insignificant echoes in the grand historical tide.

The Tough Ranking and the Art Ranking are of the same type of benevolent rankings.

Although all the ranked individuals ultimately survived, they would personally witness the disasters claiming the lives of millions. The term “tough” referred not only to their resilience but also to the cruelty of fate towards them.

Incidentally, although Ashe from the Gospel rendered The Tough Ranking ineffective, he didn’t kill the ranked individuals. Instead, he slightly altered their future to let them perish along with their loved ones in the tsunami of calamity.

It’s hard to judge Ashe’s actions regarding The Tough Ranking. Some might prefer to cling to a bitter existence, while others might find it better to die happily rather than struggle through doomsday. The only certainty is that, as the ranking list unfolds, Ashe gradually becomes neither benevolent nor malevolent, merely an aloof deity overlooking the world.

Thus, everyone is curious about what Ashe will ultimately become. So far, Ashe has always appeared in others’ narratives; the Gospel has never updated a main storyline featuring him as the protagonist.

But perhaps now, the Gospel is finally advancing the main plot and revealing the mystery.

“Wait, if Dad made it onto the ranking, would that fake Dad come to kill him?” Lise suddenly thought of a terrifying possibility.

“The Yisuo Royal Family sent someone to impersonate Ashe for assassination to realize the future. So, unless the Gospel writes that future, the Yisuo Royal Family won’t act rashly,” Annan said, touching her earring and smiling. “And no matter how wild the Gospel gets, it won’t come up with a flawed logic like ‘I kill myself.’”

With a twinkle in her eye, she cuddled up to Ashe and said, “But better safe than sorry, right? Ashe, why don’t you stay in my room tonight? I’ll protect you.”

Lise was furious. “Why not let me share a room with Dad!?”

“Can you protect him?” Annan retorted.

“Then Uncle Banjeet—”

“Banjeet himself is a ‘Punished One’; living with Ashe would just make things easier for the fake Ashe.”

“Then Aunt Bukin and Uncle Harvey—”

“Igor needs to protect Banjeet, and Harvey… Lise, would you honestly let Ashe sleep with Harvey?”

Lise’s large eyes darted back and forth between Harvey and Annan, her small face scrunching up as if making a painful decision. “Well, it’s not… impossible…”

“Hey, hey, hey, hold on a second,” Ashe couldn’t help but interject. “Why are you all so sure that I’ll make it onto the ranking list? The criteria for being on this list clearly include being a ‘world-changing culprit,’ ‘mastermind behind a terror organization,’ or ‘having countless followers,’ and I have nothing to do with any of those things—” 𝔯

“It’s a perfect match,” everyone, including Alice, chimed in unanimously.

While Ashe muttered under his breath about “workplace bullying” and “office politics,” things nobody else understood, Igor raised an eyebrow, “It’s someone we know right off the bat.”

“What?”

Everyone looked down, and their expressions immediately turned peculiar—

“Culprits Ranking 10th Place: Red Hat of Havoc”

“Charge: Collusion between Azura’s Red Hat Captain, Cleos Baimu, and Annan Dolan, leading to the private release of Ashe Heath, Igor Bukin, and Archibald Harvey.”

“Evaluation: Gravely sinful”

“Culprit: Cleos Baimu”

“Cleos has received the reward ‘Lawbreaker Silver Handcuffs.’”

Azura Red Hat Division.

“Captain, Captain, don’t cry.”

“Everyone knows it’s not your fault; the higher-ups won’t blame you.”

Cleos lay collapsed on her desk, shoulders shaking as her tears soaked deep into her sleeves, and she emitted whimpering sounds like a wailing kitten. This time, it wasn’t the activation of her ‘crying curse’ causing her tears but true sorrow.

How could she have known that these few people from an exotic land would cause such a huge rift in the Kingdom of the Gospel!

In principle, even if they didn’t execute foreigners from an exotic land on the spot, the Red Hats should at least capture and detain them for a year-long observation before granting them citizenship and releasing them back into society. But that’s just a guideline, and generally, everyone just kills them to save trouble—the Red Hats are lazy too. Back then, in order to capture members of the Four Pillars Cult, she had an agreement with Annan, deeming those foreigners as spoils of war. Handing them over to Annan followed all the rules. So, what grounds does the Gospel have to find her guilty?!

“If I had known, I would’ve let the Four Pillars Cult finish their sacrifice before arresting those guys!”

“Culprits Ranking Ninth Place: Incompetent Dame”

“Charge: Ina Aldo of the Happy Family Firm launched a nighttime raid on the Funeral Firm but failed. All members of the Funeral Firm escaped safely.”

“Evaluation: Deserving of death”

“Culprit: Ina Aldo”

“Ina Aldo has received the reward ‘Mech-spirit Ring +3.’”

Red Cicada Dame at the firm was utterly shocked.

To be honest, when she sent her people to raid the Funeral Firm, it wasn’t out of any sense of justice. At that time, the wanted notice hadn’t even been issued. While her team had some justification for invading private property, the procedure was entirely wrong. It was only because Cleos also wanted to capture Annan at that time that she didn’t press the issue. Regardless, the raid was an evil, illegal, and tyrannical act.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Yet now, the Gospel has listed her in the infamously eternal “Culprits Ranking” because she ‘failed to carry out her evil act to the end’!?

For decades, the Dame manipulated loopholes in the Gospel, leaving many victims helpless and resentful. These victims knew that the Happy Family Firm was responsible for their suffering but couldn’t seek justice or even voice their grievances through proper channels.

Now, the Dame finally understood how deeply wronged those people felt.

“Culprits Ranking Eighth Place: Lustful Patriarch”

“Charge: Guided by lust, Senhaeser Patriarch cooperated with the other Six Heraldry Patriarchs, disrupting the Red Hats’ plan to capture Ashe Heath and enabling his escape.”

“Evaluation: Heinously criminal”

“Culprit: Qenna Senhaeser”

“Qenna Senhaeser has received the reward ‘Shared Spirit.’”

“…Qenna, did you really let Ashe Heath go for such a reason?”

In the Patriarch’s office inside the Senhaeser Building, Nona spoke calmly, but everyone could hear the anger in her voice.

“Of course not. You know the Gospel has been fabricating stories, so why believe it now?”

Qenna, calm and collected, looked at the newly obtained Spirit in her hand. “It’s quite rare for the Future Ranking to reward a Shared Spirit, even in history… Hmm? This seems to be a custom-designed Shared Spirit by the Gospel just for me. It has two effects. The first one allows blood relatives to share sect realms. Nona, you might have a chance to break through to the Sanctuary!”

“Don’t change the subject!” Nona turned Qenna’s chair so she faced her. “You say the Gospel fabricates stories. What exactly do they fabricate? That you didn’t lust after Ashe or that your judgment was never clouded?”

“The second effect of this Spirit allows sharing of sensory experiences with blood relatives. Let’s give it a try…”

“Qenna!” Nona took a deep breath, grabbing her sister’s shoulders and speaking earnestly, “I had a communication with Annan last night.”

“Mm-hmm?”

“She told me that after the Weaving Festival, she plans to be with Ashe,” Nona stared at her sister. “You understand what that means, right? Don’t do anything unnecessary.”

Qenna blinked. “You must’ve forgotten that I also have a Pact with Annan.”

“Huh?”

“As part of the deal for letting them go, Annan has to return and become a Senhaeser clansman after the Weaving Festival.” She spread her hands. “I wouldn’t do anything unnecessary. She can be with Ashe if she wants, as long as they both come back to live at Senhaeser.”

“You know that’s not what I mean by unnecessary things!”

“Then what do you mean? If you don’t tell me, how would I know?” Qenna swayed her chair with a clueless look.

“Are you pretending to be innocent with me?” Nona gritted her teeth, but the blush creeping to her ears betrayed her outwardly furious demeanor.

“Sis, you’re speaking so oddly. I’m your older sister. Just tell me what you need, and I’ll definitely fulfill it for you.” Qenna smiled. “Since childhood, when have I ever refused any of your wishes?”

Nona’s lips twitched. She took a deep breath and said, “What I mean is, if Annan and Ashe really do come back to Senhaeser…”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Don’t try to find Ashe in private when Annan’s not around… and don’t make a scene publicly, either!”

“Mm-hmm, but why would I look for Ashe?”

“To, to, do, um…”

“To do what? Bake a cake?”

“Ugh…” The normally cool-headed Red Hat deputy captain turned beet red, glaring silently at her sister.

Qenna sighed. “Alright, alright. Maybe this is why the Gospel rewarded me with the Shared Spirit. It’s not just for sharing sect realms; you need to learn from my shamelessness too. With your thin skin, you’re more easily affected by emotions.”

“I don’t want to share anything with you!”

“Fine.” Qenna spoke calmly, “Right now, the Family needs Sanctuary-level power more than ever. Within a year, do you have confidence in breaking through to the Sanctuary with the help of my shared sect realm?”

Hearing her sister speak seriously, Nona had no choice but to suppress her embarrassment. She responded earnestly, “I will do my best… Ah!”

However, Qenna also straightened up instantly, letting out an adorable nasal sound, “Mm-hmm~”